Death Valley-Falls Canyon

I thought we could share our trip pic's to DV from some early spring time fun. This trip was done as a fact finding tour for our group. I'm thinking this will be a good trip to spend a few days in the canyons. Just before we arrived at our camp, we met with the Park Ranger who said that they had just rescued a young lady from a group who fracture an ankle in this same location we plan to tour. As SAR members we are always interested on how things went on the rescue. So word to the wise; this type of adventures takes some planning and training to pull off a trip with some reasonable amount of safety. Trips, slips and falls are just some of the worries in places like DV. Back to the rescue, we learned that because of the late hour that the rescue team reached the lady they had to spend the night before extricating her the next morning. This area is full of dry falls that you need some technical experience to travel. Even with good planning something as simple as a sprain can result in rescue difficulty. You need to know afew things about the hazards of just going to DV. Here's the list of what you should be prepare for:

Drink plenty of water: Drink at least one gallon (4 liters) of water per day to replace loss from sweat, more if you are active. Fluid and electroyte levels must be balanced, so have salty foods or "sports drinks" too.

Avoid hiking in the heat: Do not hike in the low elevations when temperatures are hot. The mountains are cooler in summer, but can have snow and ice in winter.

Travel prepared to survive: Stay on paved roads in summer. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes. Carry extra drinking water in your car in case of emergency.

Watch for signs of trouble: If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink water or sports drinks. Dampen clothing to lower body temperature. Be alert for symptoms in others.

The main cause of death in Death Valley: More people die in single-car accidents than by any other means. To avoid an accident, follow the speed limits, shift to a lower gear on steep downhill grades, and wear your seatbelt.

Dangerous Animals: Never place your hands or feet where you cannot see first. Rattlesnakes, scorpions, or black widow spiders may be sheltered there.

Flash Floods: Avoid canyons during rain storms and be prepared to move to higher ground. While driving, be alert for water running in washes and across road dips.

Mine Hazards: Do not enter mine tunnels or shafts. Mines may be unstable, have hidden shafts, pockets of bad air and poisonous gas.

In Case of Emergency: Dial 911 from any telephone or cell phone. Cell phones may not work in many parts of the park. Do not depend on them.

I have some more helpful information at my preparing for outdoor adventures if you are interested.
http://preparingforoutdooradventures.blogspot.com/